Student Services vice president narrowed down to four candidates
Candidates to fill the position of Student Services vice president have been visiting Utah State University at different times since early last week.
The 12-member search committee narrowed the choice to four people: Courtney Stryker from Montana State University, Teresa Branch from Iowa State University, Mark Denke from Colorado State University, and Juan Franco from New Mexico State University.
“We have four good candidates” from universities equal to or better than USU, President Kermit L. Hall said.
The committee, along with a national firm called Baker-Parker, spearheaded the search when Patricia Terrell left the post in July 2002. Craig Petersen held the position in the fall, and Gary Chambers has stepped in for this semester.
Hall said any money spent on recruiting the candidates is worth it.
“There’s no greater investment that’s made at the university than in people,” he said.
Each candidate has met with the president, provost, deans and other administrators, as well as members of the Associated Students of USU and a few general students.
All of the candidates hail from land-grant institutions, which were founded on grants of federal land designated specifically for higher education. USU is such an institution. Each candidate expressed desire to continue working for an employer who possesses the land-grant goals of research and extension.
The candidates made their case for becoming Utah State University Aggies.
Stryker said she works well with students, who often tell her she is very approachable.
“The defining feature of my career has been student centeredness,” she said, adding that she likes to walk through a food court and eat lunch with students.
Stryker mentioned she does not know enough about USU to talk about policy or change. However, she said she plans to gather information if she gets the position.
“I really like a challenge,” she said, laughing.
Stryker emphasized that she has “the big picture” from visiting institutions across the country.
“[USU] just seems like such a good fit,” she said, joking that the only difference between her home in Bozeman, Mont. and Logan is the direction the mountains run.
Stryker wasn’t the only candidate who found similarities between her university and USU.
Branch said Iowa State, like USU, is very family-oriented.
She said she has a good relationship with students who seek her help for their emotional and psychological needs.
“Student affairs has been my first love throughout my entire career,” she said.
Branch emphasized that she likes to “go out on student visits,” but said “I’m more suited to the administrative stuff.”
She mentioned that the three challenges she may face at USU are budget, budget and budget. She didn’t recommend any ways to fight such a problem. Yet, a challenge doesn’t seem to throw her off beat.
“I’ve worked at being the best at whatever I do,” Branch said.
Denke said he is the best at working with students.
“If there was a natural for Student Services, it would be me,” he said.
Denke has been involved in student government and said he feels he knows how students work and what they need. He explained he plans to spend a lot of time with them if he is chosen for the position.
“I’d rather be with students than with faculty or staff,” he said.
Denke gave some ideas for making a strong student-administrator organization. He said he likes to see attention given to international students. Faculty-student interaction outside the classroom and learning through service are other important policies, he said.
Franco was more interested in hearing what policies students say are appropriate for a Student Services vice president to maintain. He asked seven students what qualities they would like to see in their leader.
They agreed it is important for the position holder to interact with students as much as possible.
“You’ll see that,” Franco said, adding that he makes a point to help lost freshmen not only by telling them where to go, but taking them there.
He offered to sit in on ASUSU and other meetings.
“I don’t like to sit in an office and push paper,” Franco said.
He explained that recruitment and retention should be focal points for a student-affairs leader.
During their stay on campus, the candidates focused on the people and places that could become a part of their new home.
They all said they noticed the friendliness and politeness of USU students, as well as the beauty of the community.
Tiffany Leo, ASUSU Diversity vice president, has interacted with each candidate.
“I feel that the best qualified candidate is the one who has a balance between being administrative and student-friendly,” she said. “It’s easy to say that you like the personality of one candidate and they present themselves well, but will they actually perform?”
Juan Franco. Regent’s chief of staff. New Mexico State University. Doctor of philosophy, counseling and educational psychology, New Mexico State University. Bachelor of mathematics, Sul Ross University.
Mark Denke. Assistant vice president for student affairs. Colorado State University. Doctor of higher education, University of Kansas. Master of counseling, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Bachelor of business administration, Penn State University.
Teresa Branch. Associate vice president for student affairs. Iowa State University. Doctor of philosophy, clinical psychology, University of Washington. Master of criminal justice, State University of New York. Bachelor of psychology, University of California Berkley.